By Rob Goldberg

I just turned 65 and have been thinking about what is traditionally associated with that milestone: retirement. Retirement of course refers to the time of life when one chooses to permanently leave the workforce behind, to literally withdraw from full-time employment. It is a number and moment so deeply embedded into our society that even at 50 we herald its approach when a letter arrives in the mail informing us that we are now eligible to join AARP. 

Jewish wisdom shines an interesting light on aging. In The Ethics of our Fathers (Pirkei Avot 5:21) there is a powerful Mishnah attributed to Yehudah Ben Teima about different stages of life: He suggests that at 20 one pursues a livelihood, at 30 he is at the peak of his strength, at 40 he is imbued with wisdom, at 50 is able to provide counsel, at 60 old age begins, at 70 one experiences a fullness of years and 80 is the age of strength.  Reinforcing this notion is the line in Psalm 90 that is embedded as part of the morning liturgy: “The span of our life is 70 years, or — given strength — 80 years.”  

I like the idea that fullness and vigor is associated with an abundance of years.  And indeed, numbers do matter; we need to listen to our bodies as we age, meaning we may not be able to do what we did when we were younger. Markers along the way suggest that Social Security kicks in if we choose at 64 and 6 months and that we can apply for Medicaid at 65. But in the end, the question is not how many years have we lived, but how have we lived and how will we make the most of the time we are given. 

I have been privileged to help lead our community through my role at Federation for the past 9 years and I’m coming up on my withdrawal from this holy work on a full-time basis. Not because of my age necessarily, but because organizations require fresh perspectives and it’s time for someone new to adapt and grow Federation in a way most beneficial to Jewish Buffalo.  

Given the pending change of my work hours and responsibility, I’ve also given thought to how I will be spending my time. I still want to work a bit but want to do more of the things I love – like cycling, travelling, reading Torah, being with my grandchildren, and doing it all with the mindset I’ve embraced while toiling full–time: that life is precious and every day matters.  

Jewish wisdom underscores that idea throughout our liturgy particularly in the Shemoneh Esrei – the Amidah – recited thrice daily.  In the Thanksgiving section, Modim, we bow our knees and read: “We gratefully thank You, God…the rock of our lives…”  We then stand tall and complete the prayer specifically thanking God for the miracles that are with us every day, and for God’s wonders and favors in every season. And for me, no matter my age, I still bow down each time I recite the Modim and linger on the notion that every breath and heartbeat is a direct result of God’s beneficence, and that at this moment in time, I’m grateful just to be alive. 

Rob Goldberg is the current CEO of the Buffalo Jewish Federation